In the first half of the twelfth chapter of Wizards at War, Sker’ret makes a decision while the rest of the group plots their next move. Intrigued? Then it’s time for Mark to read Young Wizards.
Oh, Sker’ret. The irony in all of this is that Sker’ret, due to current circumstances, has become one of the most important people in his whole species. He’s the temporary Stationmaster of the Crossings! THIS IS A HUGE DEAL. And yet? It’s not what he wanted at all. He wanted to escape from his familial obligations, from being forced to fulfill a legacy he wanted no part of. But he also can’t abandon this place! The Crossings is still an important place to him, not matter what sort of conflict he has with his Ancestor. And for what it’s worth, he’s an incredible leader, at least based on what I witnessed here. He delegates tasks; he understands the big picture! It’s almost as if he’s a natural at this… which he probably hates, honestly.
Look, I understand his guilt, and Duane does a fine job establishing why he feels conflicted about remaining behind to work on something that is easily one of the most vital things he might ever do. He knows this! But he also knows that the fate of the universe and wizardry is at stake, too, and his friends on the Yaldiv planet could very well need him. How do you make that choice? Do you protect the Crossings, or do you leave it behind to fight for the whole universe? Do you disappoint those depending on you? Thankfully, Nita convinces Sker’ret that he’s not going to disappoint anyone by staying behind, and she’s definitely telling the truth. Plus, Carmela is now joining her, so at least in terms of numbers, they’ve gotten things covered. (I like to think of Carmela as the wild card in the bunch, since no one is going to expect her at all.)
At best, though, I can just hope that this will turn out fine. Well, maybe that’s a bit too pessimistic. The conversation that the main group has in their cave about the Yaldiv and their king has some hope in it. Namely? The Lone One doesn’t seem to know that they’re all present, nor did it recognize anyone either. See, I initially wrote the King off as being arrogant, so certain of Its power that the presence of these wizards was immaterial to It. But another theory is given here: What if the isolation on this planet is the explanation for the King’s behavior? What if that’s not a full avatar of the Lone One?
Whatever is going on here, it grants the young wizards an advantage: they still have the element of surprise. They do not, however, know what the hell they’re supposed to do about the Hesper. Hey, I’m at a loss, too. My only hint of an idea here is that Dairine should rely on that connection she has with her, to go after that confusion she must be feeling about what she’s been experiencing. At the very least, it’s an easy ice breaker??? I DON’T KNOW, Y’ALL. I am certain of only one thing: Kit is going to lose his shit when Carmela shows up. Oh, that’s gonna be such a good scene, y’all.
I am thrilled to confirm that I will be a Guest at CrossingsCon 2017! Badges are now available, so COME HANG OUT WITH ME THIS SUMMER.
http://youtu.be/LjISmVYdMPs?a
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